Heating apparatus



Nov. 18, 1924. 1,516,087

L. B. DE LAITTE HEATING APPARATUS Filed June 14. 1920 N WITNESS INVENTOR L 3. C 2 Laiiie- =16; ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 1%, 1924.

isms? LEOPO'LD 13. DE LAITTE, OE SAN FRANGISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOB, BY MESNE AS- SIGNMENTS, TO MAY EBIDIN, OF SAN 33.1...NCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

HEATING APPARATUS.

Application filed June 14, 1920. Serial No. 388,866.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEOPOLD B. on LAITTE, a citizen of the Republic of France, and a resident of the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented a certain new and Improved Heating Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to heating apparatus and particularly to improvements in water heaters.

It is an object of the present invention to provide for the maximum utilization of heat units in the heating of fluids such, for instance, as in heating water to desired temperatures or to generate steam.

A further object of the invention is to provide for the arrangement of a water conduit in juxtaposition to a structure of insulating material, the latter for the purpose of conserving heat and preventing radiation and to so arrange and enclose the conduit in the insulating structure as to cause the entire body of heated gases to pass through a circuitous course and through a circuitous passageway or flue provided in the refractory structure and in which flue the water conduit is arranged in substantial conformity to the line of the flue and in such relation to the surface of the flue as to provide a sufficient clearance for the eflicient flow of the heated gases.

Another object of the invention is to provide a water heater of extreme simplicity of construction and of minimum number of parts.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be made manifest in the following description of the preferred form of the invention which is illustrated in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the specification. It is to be understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiment shown by the said drawings and description as variations may be adopted within the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.

Referring to the drawing:

The figure is a central, vertical section through an embodiment of the invention.

The present invention involves a construction, the principles of which can be equally utilized for the heating of any liquid or fluid as, for instance, in the heating of water to a desired temperature or, if desired, in the heating of water for the generation of steam and the invention consists in a heating apparatus in which there is provided a structure of refractory material having a poor heat conductivity, such as baked clay or fire brick having a helical or circuitous passage way or flue through which all of the heated gas from any source may be directed and caused to flow so that the maximum heat may be transferred to a conduit arranged within and conforming to the general line of the flue which flue is of sufliciently larger transverse area than the transverse area of the conduit as to provide clearance suflicient for the efficient flow of the heated gases or medium employed.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated as comprising a structure of refractory material which structure may consist of an outer wall 2 preferably made of similar sections having butting faces 3 to facilitate the manufacture of the wall structure and its assembly with respect to the associated elements. The interior surface of the wall structure 2 is, in the present case, 7

sertible core 8, also of refractory material, I

the core being provided with a substantially continuous helical groove or channel 9 forming, with the complementary helical channel 4 of the outer structure 2, a substantially helical flue 10 of circular cross section. The helical ridge or web 11 between the groove portions present peripheral surfaces matching with the complementary surfaces 6 and these surfaces 6 and 11 may be and preferably are cemented together, as at 12, to prevent the escape of heated gases directly longitudinally from portion to portion of the helical flue, so that all of the heated medium utilized in the apparatus is caused to traverse entirely the length of the circuitous flue.

It is obvious that the above principle of construction providing a circuitous flue may be embodied in diverse types of structures and the present is but illustrative of one form. The lower end portion of the cylindrical wall structure 2, and of the core 8, may be suitably supported, as upon a bearing and holding frame 13, and the upper part of the structure may be provided with a stack 14: surrounding the outlet passage 15 formed above the upper end of the core 8.

Arranged Within and substantially conforming to the length of the circuitous flue 10 there is provided a conduit 15 shown as a coil of pipe having an inlet branch 1''? extended outwardly through a lower portion of the wall structure 2, the meeting faces 33 of which are concaved or otherwise provided to permit the arrangement of the intake 17 or the coil 16. At the upper end of the coil there is provided an outletbranch or portion 18 similarly received between the meeting faces of the wall portion From the above, it will be seen that the heater comprises essentially a surrounding insulating wall structure and an inner core structure, each 01 these forming between them a circuitous line 10 in which is arranged the conduit 16, the latter having a transverse area sufficiently less than the transverse area of the flue 10 to provide a space, in this case circular, for the ready flow of the heating medium. The core 8 may be arranged within the helical conduit 16 either before or after the latter is em braced by the surrounding wall structure 2.

To provide a. heating medium for the apparatus, a burner 20 of any suitable type may be arranged as, for instance, at the lower end of the heater, so as to discharge di rectly into the inlet opening or at the lower end of the circuitous flue 16.

Thus, all of the heated products of com bustion at the burner 20 will be caused to pass entirely throughout the length of the circuitous flue or passage way 10 and, because of the confinement of the heated products of combustion in close uxtaposition to the conduit 16, a maximum degree of heating etliciency will be secured before the discharge of the heatlng medium out or the apparatus.

it is understood that this apparatus may be constructed to employ water conduit means of any suitable arrangement as, for instance, plurality of coils or conductors and, further, that the burner or burner structure may be 01 any type desired and hly positioned.

hat is claimed is:

l. A water heater comprising a shell haring a cylindrical inner surface in which a helical groove is formed, a core having a cylindrical outer surface in which a helical groove is formed, the core fitting within the shell with the two grooves in re istry, so that a. helical passage is formed through which gas is constrained to pass helically, a helical water conduit extending through said passage and being spaced from the walls 01"" & assage and means for introducing hot gases of combustion into said passage at one end.

2. A. water heater comprising a shell of refractory material having a helical groove in its inner surface, a core of refractory material fitting snugly into said shell and having a helical groove in its outer surface registering with the roove in the shell to term a helical flue through which gases are constrained to travel in a helix from end to end of the flue, a helical conduit disposed in said flue and spaced from the walls thereof and torn ing with the sides of the due, a he 'cal passage of annular cross section, the turns of the helix being spaced apart in the direction 01 the axis oi the helix and means for introducing hot gases of combustion into one end of the helical passage, said gase heing constrained to pass over the entire le 1 oi the helical conduit in their passe through the flue.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

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LEQPOLD B. nn LAITTE, 

